לידת עם ישראלהגדה של פסח לעולי הבונים דרור וחברים

תשע’’ב

The Birth (and Rebirth) of the People Israel

Passover HaggadahHabonim Dror Olim & Friends

5772

Intro to the Seder

Pesach is a Jewish holiday with many names: Passover, Chag Ha-Aviv, Chag Ha-Matzot, Chag Ha-Herut, but I have also heard it described as the “greatest Jewish Holiday”. Why the best Jewish holiday? Perhaps because the central component of the holiday is asking questions and being able to connect our lives today to a collective Jewish memory. But then each year – even before we begin the seder – we are forced to ask the question of what theme and questions should we focus on in retelling the exodus story. Making this choice is no easy feat as there are so many good themes to choose from. There is the obvious and very important theme of Freedom, and also redemption,

vengeance, leadership, and many more. While these are all great themes that will no doubt make guest appearances throughout the Seder, this year we have decided to focus our seder on the Exodus story as the beginning of Jewish Nationhood.

A.D. Gordon wrote:

The nation may be likened to a funnel: at its receiving end endless existence is poured in, while through its concentrated restricted end the funnel empties its contents into the soul of man. The nation, therefore, is the force which creates the spirit of man.  It is the link which unites the life of the individual to the life of mankind and to the world at large.

There are no gaps in nature.  The cosmic order of the expansion of life starts with the individual, proceeds to the family, then to the nation, and from the nation to the race, and throughout to the whole of humanity.

This is the basis of our idea, the idea of revival and redemption; it is founded on this dual concept” human-nation, nation-man, there is no “man”, no individual man. Who should be more aware of this than we Jews?

Throughout the seder, it is important to ask what marked the formation of the Jewish nation? What makes Jews a nation today? Do we see the Jewish nation similarly to Gordon, is it a funnel through which we relate to the rest of humanity? What is the future of the Jewish nation and what is our place within that?

A.D. Gordon and Moses...the resemblance

is uncanny

The Seder Plateקערת הסדר

One of our sages once said: Every Jewish holiday is built around a common theme. They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat! While that’s the terribly rough outline of tonight’s events, a proper seder demands more of us in how we remember and symbolize the events that created our nation and have shaped our values for the last 3,000-ish years. This begins with the seder plate, which we use tonight to symbolize both our ancient Exodus and our modern struggles for liberation.

Bitter Herbs/מרור, חזרת – The bitterness (מר) of the herbs symbolizes the sharp bitterness of slavery. Two types of bitter herbs are used, to emphasize this aspect; for maror, romaine lettuce is often used (since its roots are bitter), while horseradish (a bitter root that can bring tears to the eyes when eaten) is often used for chazeret.

Haroset /חרוסת – A sweet mixure of fruits and nuts; it is used to symbolize the mortar used by the Hebrews to build for the Egyptians (it comes from the root חרס – clay). The mixture is sweet to symbolize God’s kindness, which helped make slavery more bearable for the Hebrews. Karpas/ כרפס – A fresh vegetable, most often parsley, which symbolizes the spring. The karpas is dipped in saltwater during seder to remind us of the tears shed during the difficult days as slaves in Egypt.

Egg/ביצה – The placement of a roasted egg on the seder plate has many meanings: it symbolizes the additional sacrifices offered during the three pilgrimage holidays (קורבן חגיגה) when the temple stood, it symbolizes mourning for the destruction of the temple, and it symbolizes the lifecycle – especially poignant during the spring.

Three Matzot/שלוש מצות – The matzot represent the bread of our people’s affliction. During the seder, the top matzah and half of the middle matzah are used for the hamotzi blessing. The other half of the middle matzah is the afikoman. The bottom matzah is used for the Hillel sandwich.

Instead of a shank bone, this year we’ll use a beet. Why? Not just because many of us are vegetarians.What is the meaning of the beet? It is here to remind us of an incident that occurred in 1945, when women slave laborers in Buchenwald concentration camp changed a negative definition to a positive one. 'It hit me suddenly that the Haggadah could have been written for us. If I only changed the tense from past to present, it was written about us.... At this time, the scene in the barracks was bad, there was really fighting, cursing, and yelling... so when I asked the women to be quiet it was like a miracle, this absolute silence in the barracks. I started the seder by asking why is this night different. And I said that every night we quarrel and we fight and tonight we remember. There were close to a thousand women there. I picked up the slice of sugar beet and I said, this is the bread of our suffering.... And then we made a vow that if we survived, a beet was going to be on our seder table.'

We also have an orange, which symbolizes the need for equal inclusion of women or gay men and lesbians, depending on who you ask.

Before we go on, let’s ask together: what’s missing from our seder plate? What more should we add to symbolize our ancestors’ flight from Egypt, or Jewish life today, or what needs to be preserved in our collective memory?

The Seder Song – שיר הסדרEvery seder sings a little jingle to introduce the 14 steps of the seder. But as our chevrei from Kvutzat Ogen point out annually, there’s no halakhic basis for the standard melody of the seder song, and you can actually sing it however you. As a tribute to the many musical seders they have hosted over the years, we’re going to sing the seder song to the tune of “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” which they wrote for this year. Below are some past highlights as well.

Sound of Freedom Sure is Fine

Kadesh Urchatz, Karpas Yachatz,

Magid Rachtza, Motzi Matza,

Maror Korech, Shulchan Orech,

Tsafun Barech, Hallel Nirtzah,

400 years of slavery came our way,

But now we celebrate this holiday,

Don’t you know that we’re carrying the Jewish line,

Putting redemption on the incline,

Ohh we’re drinking 4 cups of wine,

Ohhhh and the sound of freedom sure is fine,

Holy Moses Yeah...

2011:  Don’t  Stop  Redeeming(to  the  tune  of  Don’t  Stop  Believing  by  Journey)

Kadesh  Urchatz,  Karpas,  Yachatz,  Magid  Rachtza,  Motzi  MatzaMaror  Korech,  Shulchan  Orech,  Tzafun  Barech,  Hallel  Nirtzah

I  see  you  made  the  bread  too  soon,It  saved  us  all  from  Pharaoh's  doom,And  so  began  our  desert  plight,It  went  on  and  on  and  on  and  on,

Strangers  in  Egypt,Pharaoh  was  just  too  hard-­‐hearted,Someone  should  listen  to  our  cries.

Hebrew  People,Moses  must  return  to  lead  us,

On  our  path  to  becoming  Israelites!

Don't  stop  redeemin',  Hold  on  to  that  feeling,Free  Hebrew  People  (oh  oh  oh!)

Don't  stop  redeemin',  We've  got  to  keep  on  dreaming,Free  Hebrew  People  (oh  oh  oh!)

2009:  We  were  slaves(to  the  tune  of  “Country  Roads”  by  John  Denver)

Kadesh,  Urchatz,  Karpas  Yachatz,  Magid,    Rachtza,  Motzia  Matza-­‐a,  Maror,  Korech,  Shulchan  Orech,  Tzafun,  Barech,  Hallel  Nirtza  

We  were  slaves,  in  the  day,Till  Moses  came,  took  us  away!

To  Canaan,  from  Mitzrayim,We  were  slaves,  but  not  today!

2005:  Egypt  Slaveland(to  the  tune  of  Teenage  Wasteland  by  the  Who)

Kadesh  Urchatz,  Karpas,  Yachatz,  Magid  Rachtza,  Motzi  Matza  (oh  yeah  yeah  yeah  yeah)Maror  Korech,  Shulchan  Orech,  Tzafun  Barech,  Hallel  Nirtzah  (yeah  yeah)

The  Exodous  is  here,  Eretz  Yisrael  is  nearLet’s  tell  the  story  of  yetziat  mitzraimEgypt  slaveland  (oh  yeah)Stuck  in  Egypt  slavelandEgypt  slavelandWe  were  caught  in  Egypt’s  slave  planWe  were  slaves,  man!

KadeshAs we drink the four cups of wine tonight, we will go through four seminal events from the Torah that tell the story of the birth of our nation, but not in a racist way (unless someone mentions Amalek, may his memory be blotted out). In parallel, we will also be telling the story of the renewal and rebirth of our people in modern times. And without further ado, let us bless the wine and then begin.

ברוך אתה אדוני אלוהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפןלחיים!

Abraham Smashes Some IdolsWe all probably know the story of Abraham smashing the idols which his father, Terah, had made. In the Torah, actually, that isn’t mentioned at all. All that’s told of Terah is his ancestry and his descendants, and that he was from Ur (southern Iraq) and tried to move to Canaan with his son Abram and his grandson Lot, but on the way stumbled into Harran (southern Turkey), fell in love with the place, and settled down as if the Canaan thing wasn’t really a big deal in the first place.

Nonetheless, the midrash about Terah’s idol shop has become an integral part of the Jewish historical consciousness (even though it’s made up). Rabbi Hiyya relates the story:

Terah left Abram to mind the store while he departed. A woman came with a plateful of flour and asked Abram to offer it to the idols. Abram then took a stick, broke the idols, and put the stick in the largest idol’s hand. When Terah returned, he demanded that Abram explain what he'd done. Abram told his father that the idols fought among themselves and the largest broke the others with the stick. “Why do you make sport of me?” Terah cried, “Do they have any knowledge?” Abram replied, “Listen to what you are saying!”

This is the midrash about the end of Genesis 11. The opening verses of Genesis 12 are “Lekh lekha” and God’s promise to Abram that “I will make of you a great nation.” Am Yisrael is not born here, its name has not yet been uttered. But here our foundations are laid. Our nation is as of yet a mere promise. But in this promise are the seeds of a beautiful idea which will reshape human history. Israel is born as an idea: the rejection of the idolatry, the creation of a people who submits itself to one God and thus to one common moral code, and the desire of this nascent nation to be a blessing to the all the peoples of the world (Genesis 12:3).

Berl Katznelson tells us:There is an ancient Hebrew saying, which I believe is an important principle, particularly in these times: 'Anyone who repudiates idolatry is called a Jew' (Megillah, 13A)... Judaism was based on the belief in the Oneness of the Creator. And then arose the sage who proclaimed that this one thing alone was sufficient for Judaism: repudiating idolatry! I look upon this as one of the brilliant discoveries of Jewish thought and character. Jewish culture does not begin with some grand credo, but with the war against idolatry. We might well translate 'idolatry' as 'fetishism'. The starting point for Judaism is the war against fetishism; the search for

truth begins with the war against idolatry (from “Hidden Values”)

The Haskalah

If the birth of the original idea of Israel began with a rejection of the ways of the world, the rebirth of the idea of Israel began with a rejection of the ways of Israel itself, and even an opening up to many of the ways of the world. The haskalah, though it had many streams and many movements, many of which misled Jewish masses, was an awakening to the fact that the direction of the Jewish people could no longer continue. We could no longer be so cut off from the world, from the conversations and ideas of the world around us. We could no longer be so pathetic and desperate that we quickly clung to any false Messiah. We could no

longer abide by a system of laws which grew increasingly restrictive and reactionary against the outside world. The haskalah let us question our rabbis. It gave us troves of wonderful, comical, and self-critical Yiddish literature, and it also revived Hebrew literature. It showed us a world of science and discovery when we were happily ensconced in our world of mythology. Most importantly, it replanted the idea of humanism deep inside the Jewish soul, which opened our minds to a world outside the ghetto and paved the way for our masses to be deeply affected by socialism and Zionism. Abraham smashed the idols of his father; the maskilim smashed the false idols their fathers had used to keep us locked into a suffocating exile. As we drink this first cup of wine, take a moment to think of all the false idols we hold personally and collectively – ideas we pretend are sacred, material objects we fetishize, people we overly venerate. Let’s spend a minute or two sharing them with the people at our tables, and then drink this cup together in recognition of our attempt to rid ourselves of false idols.

Urchatz The Maharal of Prague says that there is deep symbolism involved when one washes his hands for the purpose of a Mitzvah.  Hands represent the beginning of the human body, for when one stretches out his hands to reach forward or above, it is the hands that are at the front or at the top of the body. The Maharal explains that that the way one beginsan action greatly influences the direction and tone of all that follows from that point, and therefore, even a seemingly insignificant sin, but one involving the “bodily leader,” is particularly wrong, for a misguided beginning will lead to an incomplete and incorrect conclusion. On Pesach, the Maharal continues, we should be extremely careful in our observance of this idea, for Pesach is the annual point of beginning for everything that exists, in all times. At this time of beginning and renewal, R’ Mirsky concludes, it is essential to remind ourselves of the importance of a correct beginning in any action and endeavor we undertake – something which is symbolized by the additional washing of our hands at the Seder. As we begin our seder, and as well celebrate this Festival of Spring, what is something you want to wash yourself of ? How do you want to began afresh, to be a more pure person?

“Religion is the sum total of the customs and teachings articulated and formulated by the religiosity of a certain epoch in a

people's life; its prescriptions and

dogmas are rigidly determined and handed down as unalterably binding to all future generations, without regard for their newly developed religiosity, which seeks new forms...religion wants to force every young person into a system stabilized for all time...religion induces fathers to reject their sons who will not let their fathers’ God be forced up them” (Martin Buber, 1913)

Karpas

Did you know:Some have explained the dipping of the Karpas to symbolize Joseph’s tunic being dipped into blood by his brothers. Karpas is therefore done at the beginning of the Seder, just as Joseph’s tunic being dipped into blood began the Israelites’ descent to Egypt. Indeed, the Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon of Hebrew traces it to the Sanskrit word karpâsa, meaning cotton.

Dip the Karpas into salt-water and then say:

ברו אתה יי אלהינו מל העולם, בורא פרי האדמה.

This is the first of a few times in the seder that we call attention to the matzah. Here we have three matzot, the most important one being the middle matzah, which we split in two. The matzot and the splitting can represent a number of things, from the three patriarchs (with the splitting representing the akeidah of Yitzhak), to the splitting of the Red Sea. In the latter example, we take the larger half of the split matzah and leave it for the poor, who we welcome into our home, as it is the "poor man's bread." The other half becomes the afikoman, which we search for to complete to broken-ness in the world.

Putting Yachatz into context of the seder, most of the things we do at the beginning of the seder are done to ask why, and then to answer. Rabbi Yehuda Prero says that the matzot in Yachatz falls in line with this pattern, as well as the way the Jewish people function as a people: "We act to provoke questions. We ask questions to find answers. We answer questions to move forward." The first matzah represents the action of breaking the matzah. The second matzah represents the question of why we do so, so we can break the action down. The third matzah represents the answer, which then leads into Magid, which is full of more questions and answers.

These are also the three steps in our movement, though the order of these steps isn’t always clear. In the movement, and in your life, do you find that you start with an action or with a question? Let’s talk about this at our tables.

We will now sing a song that I wrote about the afikoman and the Jewish people’s feelings towards Israel:

Yachatz

(To  the  Tune  of  Tearing  Up  My  Heart  by  N*SYNC)

It's  tearin'  up  my  heart  when  I'm  with  youBut  when  we  are  apart  I  feel  it  tooAnd  no  maZer  what  I  do  I  feel  the  painWith  or  without  you

Baby  I  don't  understandJust  why  we  can't  be  loversThings  are  ge[n'  out  of  handTryin'  too  much  but  baby  we  can't  win

Let  it  goIf  you  want  me  girl  let  me  knowI  am  down  on  my  kneesI  can't  take  it  anymore

[Chorus]

Baby  don't  misunderstandWhat  I'm  tryin'  to  tell  yaIn  the  corner  of  my  mindBaby  it  feels  like  we're  running  out  of  ^me

Let  it  goIf  you  want  me  girl  let  me  knowI  am  down  on  my  kneesI  can't  take  it  anymore

Tearin'  up  my  heart  my  soulWe're  apart  I  feel  it  tooAnd  no  maZer  what  I  do  I  feel  the  painWith  or  without  youAnd  no  maZer  what  I  do  I  feel  the  painWith  or  without  you

Magid“This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of

Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are needy come and celebrate the Passover. At present we are here; next year may we be in the land of Israel. At present we are slaves; next year

may we be free.”

The Four Questions: The Ultimate Test of Youth מה נשתנה הלילה הזה מכל הלילות?

שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין חמץ ומצה, הלילה הזה - כולו מצה.

שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין שאר ירקות, - הלילה הזה מרור. שבכל הלילות אין אנו מטבילין אפילו פעם אחת, - הלילה

הזה שתי פעמים. שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין בין יושבין ובין מסבין, - הלילה

הזה כלנו מסבין

Ha Lachmaהא לחמא עניא די אכלו אבהתנא בארעא דמצרים. כל

דכפין ייתי וייכל, כל דצרי ייתי ויפסח. השתא הכא, לשנה הבאה בארעא דישראל. השתא עבדי, לשנה הבאה בני חורין.

The Four Questions????By Professor Leo Goldberg

In the traditional Pesach Seder the 4 questions are asked by the youngest child to the adults and show the naive curiosity of the children as to why 'this night is different from all other nights'. This gives the adults the chance to respond where they explain the significance of remembering the exodus from Egypt. I think it's important that the old rabbi who stuck together the haggadah decided to have a kid ask questions before throwing the answers out there. If we gave other Jewish holidays a quick glance I think we'd find that the rabbi's who write the texts usually don't mess around with questions before they tell the people what's up. For example you don't see a kid stand up on Yom Kippur and sing a cheerful ditty asking the congregation why they are depriving themselves of food, no the importance of questioning is unique to Pesach. The entire Pesach story is recited in the form of a series of answers and almost the whole Seder is made up of responses to questions posed by such infamous characters as the 4 sons, the aforementioned youngest child and everyone when we sing "who knows one". The inclusion of so many questions creates an environment of active learning for the kids present and helps to create a more vivid connection to the Pesach story and its’ ancient characters. It can also encourage self examination and the critical reflections that can make Pesach’s themes of oppression and freedom applicable to our lives. So the question-filled structure of the Seder has the potential to make kids more critical of themselves and their worlds and thus more likely to change them. This is groovy as can be, but in Habonim Dror we value being critical and questioning all year round and not only on Pesach. So the question is do we actively question our lives when the questions aren’t written out in the haggadah for us?

THE FOUR CHILDRENBlessed is the Omnipresent. Blessed is He. Blessed is the One Who has given the Torah to His people Israel, Blessed is He. Concerning four sons does the Torah speak: a wise one, a wicked one, a simple one and one who does not know to ask.

With these words, the Hagaddah instructs us to explain the Exodus story to future generations, to pass on to every child, regardless of their capacities and interests, what the story means to the Jewish people. To each child we are instructed to give a different answer.

Today, the centrality of the Exodus story to the Jewish people further amplifies the importance of the child’s question. When we explain Pesach and its meaning, not just to children but to ourselves and our communities, we tell each other what it means to be Jewish. What do we as Jews value? How do these values link us to each other?

How to we explain what it means to be Jewish? How do we explain to the wise child? To the wicked one? To the simple one? And to the one that does not know how to ask?

THE PLAY!!!!!!!

Discussion break in the Pesach Story: Mi Samcha?

When Moshe tries to stop two Jewish slaves from fighting with each other, one Jew turns to him and asks, “Mi samcha?” (or, “Who gave you [this authority]?”) Moshe was not an Egyptian slave master, so he couldn’t force the slaves to stop fighting, but he also wasn’t living as a Jew, so he couldn’t break up the fight as a member of their community. This question of authority comes up again with one of our favorite movement heroes, Antek Zuckerman. When asked the same question, “Who authorized you?” Antek says, “This question didn’t bother me very much. In those circumstances, it wasn’t so important if you were an elected ‘representative.’ Not only did the Jews not elect me, the Movement didn’t elect me either or send me to do what I did. There is a moment when you assume the responsibility and the mission of your own free will.” Moshe was not elected by anyone, but he saw something that wasn’t right and he assumed the responsibility to do something about it. Perhaps he wasn’t even chosen by God as the leader of the Jewish people in the Pesach story. Perhaps he chose himself when he chose to step in at that moment. At your tables, take some time to reflect on this Pesach story and answer the following questions:

• When have you asked yourself “Do I have the authority to do this?”• When have you seen people ask this of each other?• What is “that moment” that Antek talks about? • How do you know that you need to take responsibility over the movement, even when

you know that others might question your authority?

The Ten Plagues – עשר המכותFor many of us the ten plagues represents the most memorable part of Magid. The

10-13 drips of wine delivered via the finger from the wine cup to one's plate or napkin is strangely satisfying and enjoyable. Isaac ben Judah Abrabanel (15th Century Spain) gave the most common explanation for this ritual. He said that since we should not celebrate the suffering of our enemies, we should lessen our joy at the memory of each plague by lessening the amount of wine in our cups. This corresponds to the contemporary practice of “pouring one out for the homies” and resonates with the midrash in which god rebukes the angels for celebrating the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. The point is: Even when you're victorious, you are supposed to sympathize with your enemies and value their humanity.

This is a pretty important point since exodus tells us that it was Pharaoh's stubbornness that forced god to bring the plagues on Egypt. Our world today and particularly this corner of the earth is full of examples of people suffering because of the decisions of their national leadership. While Pharaoh triggered the plagues that hit the egyptians, today we can thank Israeli, Syrian, Libyan, Egyptian, and Iranian (among plenty of other) politicians for violence and warfare that most people from those countries would never want.

The ritual of dripping drops for each plague recognizes that though this holiday is celebratory, we have to dampen that celebration in order to respect the pain these plagues brought to the Egyptians. Most modern rituals fail to make this kind of space for “enemies”. Israeli war commemorations rarely note human loses on the enemies' side. Just as the finger dipping ritual helps us consider the humanity of an ancient enemy doomed by its own leadership, let's consider the suffering of civilians in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan where their own pharaoh's have enticed destruction from Israeli and American militaries.

As we know, history is written by the victors, but in this small gesture our tradition is suggesting a different way to approach victory. Rather than demonizing or ignoring the defeated, its possible to respect them and give them a place in the story.

Discussion: Celebrating Egyptians’ Death and Jewish Vengeance In the Bible, we have two almost opposite reactions to the fall of an enemy. On the one hand, we have the famous verse that says, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.” (Proverbs 24, 17) On the other hand, we have, among many others, the verse, “When the wicked perish, there is joy.” (Proverbs, 11, 10) In the story of Pesach, the Jews chose the second option, and rejoiced when the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea. To be fair, they had just become a free nation, a new beginning of peoplehood. At the same time, they were also celebrating the deaths of fellow human beings. This brings up a question that the Jewish nation still has today: Is it possible to create a Jewish nation free of vengeance? After the Holocaust, this attitude came about again, with many wanting revenge against the Germans. Today, we are in a different situation in the Arab-Israeli conflict, but many still see the pain and suffering as cause for vengeance. The question today is, with a history of suffering and discrimination and with ongoing conflict, how can we recreate our nation free of vengeance?

DAYENUאלו הוציאנו ממצרים ולא עשה בהם שפטים, דיינו.אלו עשה בהם שפטים, ו לא עשה באלהיהם, דיינו.

אלו עשה באלהיהם, ולא הרג את בכוריהם, דיינו.אלו הרג את בכוריהם ולא נתן לנו את ממונם, דיינו.אלו נתן לנו את ממונם ולא קרע לנו את הים, דיינו.

אלו קרע לנו את הים ולא העבירנו בתוכו בחרבה, דיינו.אלו העבירנו בתוכו בחרבה ולא שקע צרנו בתוכו דיינו.

אלו שקע צרנו בתוכו ולא ספק צרכנו במדבר ארבעים שנה דיינו.אלו ספק צרכנו במדבר ארבעים שנה ולא האכילנו את המן דיינו.

אלו האכילנו את המן ולא נתן לנו את השבת, דיינו.אלו נתן לנו את השבת, ולא קרבנו לפני הר סיני, דיינו.

The Second Cup

ברוך אתה אדוני אלוהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפןDrink up! Let’s continue learning about our nation’s formation...

אלו קרבנו לפני הר סיני, ולא נתן לנו את התורה. דיינו.

אלו נתן לנו את התורה ולא הכניסנו לארץ ישראל, דיינו.

אלו הכניסנו לארץ ישראל ולא בנה לנו את בית הבחירה דיינו.

Leaving Egypt

Every ancient people had some sort of founding myth. For most, their myth explains that they or their kings were descended from gods. For others, it explains that they were descended from great heroes and warriors of the past. Our foundation myth is that our ancestors were pathetic slaves, that they were brutally subjugated by a man who thought he was divine, and that at times they even resisted their own liberation. To paraphrase (and somewhat distort) Nietzsche, this foundation myth is what set us apart and what allowed the Jews to introduce a new morality to the world based caring for the oppressed rather than venerating the mighty.

Joseph came to Egypt as a lone son of Israel, then his brothers came, and then they and their progeny multiplied. But it was not until Moses awoke in the Hebrews the strength and the desire to be free that we became a true nation. It was our shared suffering and our shared liberation that united 12 disparate and oppressed tribes into one people.

Herzl and his AltneulandDavid Golinkin, a Conservative rabbi and professor, wrote an interesting little essay comparing Herzl and Moses. It’s about eight pages long, so we read it, but here’s a paraphrase:

The parallels between Moshe Rabbeinu and Theodore Herzl are striking. They both grew up and were educated in a non-Jewish or assimilated atmosphere and discovered the “Jewish Problem” relatively late in life. Their devotion to their people was sparked by their reaction to an act of injustice and cruelty (the Egyptian beating the Hebrew slave for Moses; the unfair trial of Alfred Dreyfus for Herzl). Their plan of returning the Jewish people to their land was almost identical. The initial negative reaction of the Jewish people and their initial discouragement were also very similar in nature. Both of them advocated a plan which was impractical and insane and yet both plans succeeded. But they both paid a heavy personal price for their efforts; their plans succeeded but they did not live to enjoy the fruit of their labors.

While it’s important to humanize Herzl and realize that the Zionist movement’s success came from the idealistic and devoted segment of the Jewish masses and not from one man, his works and his vision helped the Jews realize that we were in need of liberation, helped us achieve that liberation, and helped us understand that our future state needed to be not just independent but also deeply moral. In this way and in many others he bore a resemblance to Moses.

Jewish mythology situates the mythical birth of the people of Israel at the end of an oppression:

"Remember the time when you were a slave in Egypt" is one of the most haunting refrains of our collective memory.

Moses, the first great man with whom the people identify, is first and foremost a liberator.

All Jewish history, written and oral – that is, the image Jews have forged of themselves – is constructed or reconstructed in this perspective:

    Oppression –– Liberation.– Albert Memmi, 1966

Let us drink this second cup in celebration of our liberation from every exile we have ever faced, and in recognition of how deeply these liberations have shaped and guided us over the years.

RachtzaRachtzah is the second washing of the hands, this time with a blessing. Why do we wash our hands a second time? Some rabbis believe that the first hand washing is a simpler cleansing and preparation for an ordinary level of holiness: the responsibility to be a moral and loving person. This second hand washing is in preparation to eat matzah, which brings us closer to God, as the mannah brought the Israelites closer to God in the desert. Therefore, this second cleansing is to prepare for a deeper level of purity and consciousness. These rabbis may or may not be Hasidic. So instead of discussing holiness and purity, we are going to play a game.

Motzi MatzaTake the Matzot in the order that they are lying on the tray - the broken piece between the two whole Matzot;

hold them in your hand and recite the following blessing:Blessed are You, L-rd, our G-d, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

ברו אתה יי אלהינו מל העולם המוציא לחם מן הארץ.

Do not break anything off the Matzot. First put down the third Matza (the bottom one), and recite the following blessing over the broken Matza and the top one.

When reciting the following blessing, have in mind that it refers also to the eating of the "Sandwich" of Korech - which will be made with the third Matza - and also the eating of the Afikoman.

Blessed are You, L-rd, our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the eating of Matzah.

ברו אתה יי אלהינו מל העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על אכילת מצה. Now break off a kezayit (the volume of one olive) of the two Matzot held, and eat the 2 pieces together in

reclining position.

MarorWe eat maror, bitter herbs, on Pesach to symbolize the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. It is also a symbol that reminds us of Jewish suffering and hardship that has existed for centuries of exile. While it is important to remember the suffering of the Jewish people (as well as to acknowledge that there are many people today who continue to suffer and are not free even at the basic level), it is also important to ask, how much of our national consciousness is built on remembering collective suffering? Is this an anchor of our understanding of ourselves as a people? Is this the center of connecting Jews around the world today? Is it possible to move beyond remembering Jewish suffering? If so, would we want to?

Korech

You probably didn’t know this, but if you Google image search “reclining,”you mainly get pictures of naked ladies from the 1500s.

Above: a rare exception, deeply enthralled with his own freedom.

We recline to celebrate that we eat together as free people and not as slaves. At the same time, this is the part of the seder where we tell ourselves: “In every generation, one must look upon himself as if he personally has come out of Egypt.”

This is an essential part of the Jewish consciousness: that we must not forget the suffering that we come from. Tonight, I’d like to propose something to add the Jewish-Israeli consciousness: for every person, in every year, we must all look upon ourselves as if we have personally made Aliyah – whether sabrah, veteran, or oleh hadash. We must choose to be here, choose to take part in the project of building a moral society at the centre of the Jewish people. When Israelis feel that their nationality is just a historical coincidence or even a nuisance, the Zionist project starts to unravel. But when we make an active choice to ascend towards Zion, we can accomplish wonders. (The last sentence captures the spirit of a Mariah Carey song that is prominently featured in the popular docu-drama The Prince of Egypt. Stam. We actually can do great things here.)

In an age where many Israelis feel like they want to leave the country, or just wave the flags and support whatever the government does, or both, we must ask: how can we feel like we’re constantly choosing la’alot, to ascend? How can we make sure our children and their

Take the third Matzah, a bit of Chazeret (the rabbis say this should be approximate size of an olive) - which is to be dipped into Charoset. Combine the two like a sandwich, and say the following:

Thus did Hillel do at the time of the Temple: He would combine Passover -- lamb, Matzah and Maror and eat them together, as it said: "They shall eat it with Matzah and bitter herbs."

Then eat the sandwich in a reclining position.

generation will feel that way, that they’ll want to be here? If we’re not too hungry, let’s discuss for a bit...

Shulchan OrechEat to your heart’s content. According to chabad.org, “It is permitted to drink

wine between the second and third cups.”

TzafunLet’s go find the AFIKOMEN!

Barech

Basic  to  human  existence  is  a  sense  of  indebtedness  –  of  indebtedness  to  society,  of  indebtedness  to  God.  What  is  emerging  in  our  age  is  a  strange  inversion.  Modern  people  believe  that  the  world  is  indebted  to  them;  that  society  is  charged  with  du^es  toward  them.  Their  standard  preoccupa^on  is:  What  will  I  get  out  of  life?  Suppressed  is  the  ques^on:  What  will  life,  what  will  society  get  out  of  me?

Rabbi  Abraham  Joshua  Heschel

Third Cup

יין

נברך על הגפן ועל פרי הגפן ועל ארץ חמדה וטובה, על תנובת השדה ופרי העמל של ששת ימי המעשה. נברך על שבת שניתנה לנו, לחן לכבוד לשמחה ולתפארת.

לחיים וחג שמח!

Let  us  bless  the  grapevine  and  the  fruit  of  the  grapevine,  and  the  land  of  delight  and  kindness,  the  bounty  of  the  field  and  the  fruit  of  the  labour  of  the  six  days  of  doing.  Let  us  bless  the  Shabbat  which  has  been  given  to  us,  for  grace,  for  dignity,  for  joy,  and  for  glory.

The Torah Welcome back to the story of the Jews’ national birth and even rebirth. You’re probably all a little tipsier and a little fuller than you were when we started, which is a good sign. Anyways, while the Jews were wandering aimlessly through the desert, building themselves golden calves and wishing they were back in Egypt, God (or maybe Moses) decided that the Israelites need a book of stories to unite them and to guide them in their thoughts, actions and values. So God/Moses wrote a book for them, and it was the probably the best book ever written. It became a point of unity for the Israelites from Sinai until today.

It explained where we come from. It told us how to live our lives, which was especially important because until that point slave-masters had made all important decisions for us. It also contained beautiful stories which illustrate an untold number of profound truths about humanity. It was, and is, our tree of life. It became the foundation not only for Jewish values and Jewish storytelling, but in many ways a main foundation for Western law, literature, and morality.

The Kibbutz Megilat ha-Atzma’ut opens up by explicitly linking Eretz Israel to our most important historical achievements: “Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.” Psalm 137 wonders whether we can even create art and beauty outside of our homeland: “We hung up our harps...how can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” Like the ancient Hebrews wandering the desert without a national form or character, the rishonim of the Second Aliyah showed up to Palestine with lots of scars and lots of ideals, but no real idea how to live, how to rebuild an old-new nation, how to actually wield their independence. In Deganya and at Ein Herod, by the shores of the Kinneret, in the swamps of Emek Yizrael, and even amidst the unforgiving sands of the Negev, they found their answer: the kibbutz. While the kibbutz was never quite as popular with the Jewish people as the Torah has been, the kibbutz was what inspired us. It guided and shaped Israeli culture, history, politics, and morality in ways that cannot be overstated. There’s a reason that Yosef Haim Brenner said that socialism was his holy of holies the same year that Deganya was established. As the Torah and the rest of the Tanakh were the chief legacy that the ancient Hebrews bequeathed to their descendants and the world at large, the kibbutz is the most inspiring and original creation to come out of modern Hebrew culture. As we drink this deliciously intoxicating third cup, let us hope that the ideals of kibbutz – community, equality, non-alienated labour, collective responsibility, connection to soil – will do as much to reshape the Jewish people and the whole world as the Torah has done over the last 3,000 years.

Bialik’s Tehezakne – תחזקנהBarech is a time for blessing. Let us bless our nation, our land, and the revival of our language.

(1) May they grow strong, the hands of our brothers and sisters who see beauty(2) Even in the dust of the land (3) Do not let your spirits fall [rather], joyful and lustily bursting into son(4) Come with one voice and shoulder to shoulder to the aid of your nation!(5) If you have not raised the roof but built only the foundation (6) You have come far indeed, my brothers and sisters, your toil has not been in vain!(7) You have come to build, and plaster, and whitewash(8) and now [because of your labors] we also have come far, even if only the surveyor's line be stretched out

תחזקנה ידי כל-אחינו המחונניםעפרות ארצנו באשר הם שם;

אל יפל רוחכם – עליזים, מתרונניםבאו שכם אחד לעזרת העם!

אם-לא את-הטפחות – רק מסד יסדתם –

רב-לכם, אחי, עמלכם לא-שוא!הבאים – ובניתם וטחתם ושדתם,

עתה רב-לנו אם נטוי הקו.

Hallel

ללויה לעולם ללויה ישירו כולם

הענבלים הגדולים הדהדו בהמון צלילים

אתנו הם יאמרו, הללויה.

ללויה עם השיר...

ללויה על הכל ללו על מחר ואתמול

ללויה, ותנו יד ביד שירו מלב אחד -

הללויההללויה לעולם,

הללויה

הללויה ישירו כולםבמילה אחת בודדה

הלב מלא בהמון תודהוהולם גם הוא - איזה עולם נפלא.

הללויה עם השיר,הללויה על יום שמאיר,הללויה על מה שהיה,

ומה שעוד לא היה -הללויה.

.

Kos Eliyahu

We pour four cups of wine for each person, but we have a fifth cup on the table for Elijah. The typical explanation for this is that the rabbis couldn’t decide whether we ought to drink four or five cups of wine tonight, so we settled on four and one for Elijah, who will eventually return and resolve this issue for us all. But the more historical explanation is as follows:

The custom of opening the door for Elijah began in the Middle Ages, with the proliferation of the "Blood Libel." Frequently, if a Christian baby would die unexpectedly, the body would be "planted" in the courtyard of a Jewish home, and then the police would be summoned to "investigate the murder." Passover time was especially volatile, since Jews were accused of using the blood of Christian babies to bake matzahs.

Therefore, the custom began to keep the door open on Passover night, in order to watch out for anyone sneaking into the courtyard to start a blood libel. This is why we declare at this time: "Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which... have devoured Jacob." (Thanks Aish ha-Torah!)

Now we’ll open the door for our good friend Elijah, and ask Hashem to pour out some wrath.

The Fourth Cup

(Re-)Entering Canaan

We have traced the steps in the birth and rebirth of our nation through the previous three cups. First we must smash the false idols of our fathers (Abraham and the maskilim); then we reject and depart our oppressive exile that we’ve grown accustomed to (Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt; Herzl and the early Zionists awakening the Jewish masses); then we must come up with a set of values and a lifestyle to guide Am Yisrael and even inspire the world (the Torah back in the day, the kibbutz or kvutza in our time). Lastly, of course, we must lihi’ot am chofshi b’artzeinu – be a free people in our own land.

When the Jews crossed the Red Sea, they danced and celebrated in anticipation of the national freedom that surely awaited them. When the United Nations approved a Jewish state in November 1947, they danced again in the streets – but this time it was in New York and Jerusalem, in Buenos Aires and Tel Aviv and Montreal.

But as we know all too well, the real test is in front of us. The real test lies not in whether we can be free, but rather, in what we create with our freedom, in whether we’re really ready to accept the tremendous moral responsibility of rejoining the living nations of the earth. Ahad ha-Am’s famous essay on Moses discusses this test at length, and it is brilliant enough to ring equally true for the Israelites 3,000 years before he wrote it and the Israelis 100 years afterwards:

So the immediate goal is reached.  Pharaoh and all his host lie at the bottom of the Red Sea, and Moses stands at the head of a free people, leading them to the land of their ancestors.

“Then sang Moses…” In this hour of happiness his heart overflows with emotion, and pours itself out in song.  He does not know that he is still at the beginning of his journey; he does not know that the real task, the most difficult task, has still to to be commenced.  Pharaoh is gone, but his work remains; the master has ceased to be master, but the slaves have not ceased to be slaves.  A people trained for generations in the house of bondage cannot cast off in an instant the effects of that training and become truly free, even when the chains have been struck off...

So the Prophet remains in the wilderness, buries his own generation and trains up a new one. Year after year passes, and he never grows weary of repeating to this growing generation the laws of righteousness that must guide its life in the land of its future; never tires of recalling the glorious past in which these laws were fashioned. The past and the future are the Prophet's whole life, each completing the other. In the present he sees nothing but a wilderness, a life far removed from his ideal; and therefore he looks before and after. He lives in the future world of his vision, and seeks strength in the past out of which that vision-world is quarried.

Israel has never lived in the present. The present, with its evil and its wickedness, has always filled us with anguish, indignation, and bitterness...Constantly have we been inspired with brilliant hopes for the future, and an ineradicable faith in the coming triumph of the good and the right; and for these hopes and that faith we have always sought and found support in the history of our past.

Nirtzah

Mi ha-ishHachafetz chaim

Ohev yamimLir’ot tov

Natzur lishoncha meraU’sphatecha, m’daber

mirmahSur mera, aseh tov

Bokesh shalom,V’rodfehu

Mi Ha-Ish

JOURNEY – Don’t Stop Believing

Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world She took the midnight train goin' anywhere Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit He took the midnight train goin' anywhere

A singer in a smokey room A smell of wine and cheap perfume For a smile they can share the night It goes on and on and on and on [ Lyrics from: Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard Their shadows searching in the night Streetlights people, living just to find emotion Hiding, somewhere in the night. Working hard to get my fill, Everybody wants a thrill Payin' anything to roll the dice, Just one more time Some will win, some will lose Some were born to sing the blues Oh, the movie never ends It goes on and on and on and on

(Chorus)

Don't stop believin' Hold on to the feelin' Streetlights people

בשנה הבאה

בשנה הבאה נשב על המרפסת ונספור ציפורים נודדות.

ילדים בחופשה ישחקו תופסת בין הבית לבין השדות.

עוד תראה, עוד תראה כמה טוב יהיה

בשנה, בשנה הבאה.

ענבים אדומים יבשילו עד הערב ויוגשו צוננים לשולחן.

ורוחות רדומים ישאו אל אם הדרך עיתונים ישנים וענן.

עוד תראה, עוד תראה...

בשנה הבאה נפרוש כפות ידיים מול האור הניגר הלבן

אנפה לבנה תפרוש באור כנפיים והשמש תזרח בתוכן.

תראה... עוד תראה, עוד

Partisans Song

This song was originally written in 1943 in Yiddish by Hirsh Glick, a Jewish inmate at the Vilna Ghetto. The song is considered one of the chief anthems of Holocaust survivors and is sung in memorial services around the world. During the war it was the anthem of various Jewish partisan brigades and become a

symbol of resistance against the Nazis.

Partisans from Vilna

How many roads must a man walk down,before you call him a man?How many seas must a white dove fly,before she sleeps in the sand?And how many times must a cannon ball fly,before they're forever banned?

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind,the answer is blowing in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist,before it is washed to the sea?How many years can some people exist,before they're allowed to be free?And how many times can a man turn his head,and pretend that he just doesn't see?The answer my friend is blowing in the wind,

the answer is blowing in the wind.

How many times must a man look up,before he sees the sky?And how many ears must one man have,before he can hear people cry ?And how many deaths will it take till we know,that too many people have died?

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind,the answer is blowing in the wind.

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind,the answer is blowing in the wind.

Bob Dylan – Blowing in the Wind

Emancipate  yourselves  from  mental  slavery;None  but  ourselves  can  free  our  mind.Wo!  have  no  fear  for  atomic  energy,cause  none  of  them-­‐a  can-­‐a  stop-­‐a  the  >me.How  long  shall  they  kill  our  prophets,While  we  stand  aside  and  look?  Yes,  some  say  its  just  a  part  of  it:We’ve  got  to  fulfill  de  book.Won’t  you  help  to  singDese  songs  of  freedom?  -­‐cause  all  I  ever  had:Redemp>on  songs  -­‐All  I  ever  had:Redemp>on  songs:These  songs  of  freedom,Songs  of  freedom.

Redemption SongOld  pirates,  yes,  they  rob  i;Sold  I  to  the  merchant  ships,Minutes  aPer  they  took  iFrom  the  boRomless  pit.But  my  hand  was  made  strongBy  the  and  of  the  almighty.We  forward  in  this  genera>onTriumphantly.Won’t  you  help  to  singThese  songs  of  freedom?  -­‐cause  all  I  ever  have:Redemp>on  songs;Redemp>on  songs.

Emancipate  yourselves  from  mental  slavery;None  but  ourselves  can  free  our  minds.Have  no  fear  for  atomic  energy,cause  none  of  them  can  stop  the  >me.How  long  shall  they  kill  our  prophets,While  we  stand  aside  and  look?  ooh!Some  say  its  just  a  part  of  it:We’ve  got  to  fulfill  de  book.

Won’t  you  help  to  singThese  songs  of  freedom?  -­‐cause  all  I  ever  have:Redemp>on  songs;Redemp>on  songs;

ולנו מכורים של מישהו מבקש עכשיו תרגישו

ותחים פה גדול מחכים למנה הבאה

לונות ראווה יפים פה הכל למכירה אנחנו תלויים פתקי החלפה

ז מה נעשה עם הכעס הזה ה יהיה עם הקנאה

ולם רוצים להיות חופשיים בל ממה אלוהים ממה

כולנו עבדים אפילו...

עבדיםביצוע: ברי סחרוף

מילים ולחן: ברי סחרוף

ל נהר אספירין ישבנו מקומות המוכרים

א שומעים לא רואים אילו אנחנו אוויר

וד מעט יגמר הסרט קרוב המציאות

תמונה מטושטשת הצליל לא ברור

י כולנו עבדים אפילו יש לנו כזה כאילו

ותחים פה גדול מחכים לעונג הבא

Harriet Tubman

One  night  I  dreamed  I  was  in  slavery,  'Bout  eighteen  fiPy  was  the  >me,Sorrow  was  the  only  sign,  Nothing  around  to  ease  my  mind.  Out  of  the  night  appeared  a  lady,Leading  a  distant  pilgrim  band.  "First  mate,"  she  yelled,  poin>ng  her  hand,  "Make  room  on  board  for  this  young  woman."  

Singing:  Come  on  up,  mm  mm  mm,  I  got  a  lifelineCome  on  up  to  this  train  of  mineCome  on  up,  mm  mm  mm,  I  got  a  lifelineCome  on  up  to  this  train  of  mine.She  said  her  name  was  Harriet  Tubman  And  she  drove  for  the  underground  railroad.

Hundreds  of  miles  we  travelled  onward,  Gathering  slaves  from  town  to  town,  Seeking  every  lost  and  found,  SeYng  those  free  who  once  were  bound.  Somehow  my  heart  was  growing  weaker,I  fell  by  the  wayside's  sinking  sand.  Firmly  did  this  lady  stand,  LiPed  me  up  and  took  my  hand.

Singing:  ....

Who  are  those  children  dressed  in  red?  They  must  be  the  ones  that  Moses  led.  

SOLIDARITY FOREVERWhen the union's inspiration through the workers' blood shall run,There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun;Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one,But the union makes us strong.

CHORUS:Solidarity forever, (3x)For the union makes us strong.

Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite,Who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might?Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight?For the union makes us strong.ChorusIt is we who plowed the prairies; built the cities where they trade;Dug the mines and built the workshops, endless miles of railroad laid;Now we stand outcast and starving midst the wonders we have made;But the union makes us strong.ChorusAll the world that's owned by idle drones is ours and ours alone.We have laid the wide foundations; built it skyward stone by stone.It is ours, not to slave in, but to master and to own.While the union makes us strong.

Chorus

They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn,But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel can turn.We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learnThat the union makes us strong.

Chorus

In our hands is placed a power greater than their hoarded gold,Greater than the might of armies, magnified a thousand-fold.We can bring to birth a new world from the ashes of the old

אחד? מי יודע

Start with “Echad” and work backwards...å

שלשה עשר מי יודע? שלשה עשר אני יודע: שלשה עשר

מדיא. שנים עשר שבטיא, אחד עשר כוכביא, עשרה דבריא,

תשעה ירחי לדה, שמונה ימי מילה, שבעה ימי שבתא, ששה

סדרי משנה, חמשה חומשי תורה, ארבע אמהות, שלשה

אבות, שני לחות הברית, אחד אלהינו שבשמים ובארץ